3 Petitions For Clinton Supporters To Sign

If you were hoping for a Hillary Clinton presidency, you're likely feeling distressed and having trouble getting used to the idea that the election is over. Because for you, it feels like the fight has just begun. And already, there are a number of petitions urging electors to make Hillary Clinton president. As we watched the live election coverage on the news and saw the map of the country manifest in red, we were faced with a reality that was too late to change. Many of us underestimated the possibilities of this election. With social media, it's easy to unfollow people who don't share your beliefs. And for many of us, living in a same-valued social media bubble contributed to the sheer shock at the election results. All people saw in their feeds on Nov. 8 were others posting selfies with "I Voted" stickers and Hillary hashtags. For many people, their entire worlds were painted blue as they planned ahead for a first-ever Madam President.

But for a larger part of the country, the future didn't look the same. In our post-election realizations, it's easy to have 20/20 vision. Maybe we should have spent more time encouraging our peers to vote. Maybe we should not have taken our liberal networks for granted. Maybe we should not have coasted through this election season feeling certain that a Trump presidency was tomfoolery. Alas, here we are. In the emotional scramble to make sense of this surprise and search for hope, many people are turning to a potential saving grace hidden in the Electoral College guidelines.

Technically, we don't actually elect the president ourselves. We cast our votes for the Electoral College, who then takes our ballots and uses them to inform their own votes, which are the only votes that directly elect the president. With the exception of 26 states and our capitol city, there's no federal law or constitutional obligation which requires the Electoral College representatives to vote in line with the popular vote of their states. This is where the term "faithless electors" is founded, and this gray area has been deemed by Clinton supporters as an opportunity for change. Our founding fathers created the Electoral College to ensure that the best-suited candidate would take the office, despite what external sociopolitical movements might be happening at the time. That said, the alluring concept of saving Clinton's candidacy and the seemingly plausible potential to change the route of history in this post-election climate is alive and brewing.

Today, you'll notice various petitions popping up all over the internet calling Clinton supporters to rally together, raise their voices, and inspire the cooperation of faithless electors. Whether or not these efforts will amount to real change is certainly not promised — the amount of representatives who would have to oppose their own party is high — but as we've learned over the last few years, it never hurts to raise your voice about what you believe in, so long as it's peaceful, well-informed, and with the best intentions. If you want to be heard, check out one of these petitions below.

MoveOn Petition Urging The Electoral College To Vote For Hillary Clinton

This petition is for people who worry that Trump is a threat to the nation's security. It urges the Electoral College to take these voices into consideration while determining their votes. It's just shy of its 15,000 signature goal. Find it here.

Change.org Petition To Make Hillary Clinton President

This petition urges the Electoral College to incur the fine associated with voting against their party. They say it's worth it, and so far, more than half a million people agree. Find it here.

Petition From GoPetition Urging The Electoral College To Match The Popular Vote

This petition vehemently begs the Electoral College to match their decisions to the popular vote of the country, and potentially rethink the value of the Electoral College entirely. Find it here.

If you're feeling helpless right now, take action. These petitions are a good start.